Review of "The 400 Blows"

The film, “The 400 Blows” written and directed by François Truffaut, had fleeting moments of entertainment, but that was not enough to make this film worth watching at least for the average viewer. If the writer had a message or a theme it was virtually undetectable. Perhaps the writer’s intention was to show, through an adolescent’s eyes, that life is unfair and most of us just try to catch or dodge the curveballs. This take on life seems like a common tale told over and over again. Mr. Truffaut’s message, that adolescent angst is a problem, would have been appreciated if Truffaut hadn’t focused on all the predictable behaviors of an adolescent. It is easy to guess what will happen next in the life of this young boy. The end of the film leaves the audience literally hanging because it is anyone’s guess what will happen to the young boy. While this may sound like a great ploy to get the audience’s attention, it falls flat. Too many questions exist at the end of the film leaving the audience confused and dissatisfied. While the film has some cinematic value it fails to spark any sort of deep discussion among the audience. Without discussion the film gets classified with many other films in the category of unmemorable.
“The 400 Blows” possesses many literary aspects. The plot is a memoir in that it tells the story of a boy, Antoine Doinel, through his own eyes, during a brief period in his life. Antoine is twelve years old for the duration of the film and acts like a typical rebellious adolescent who finally got caught. He plays hooky, steals, and runs away from home on several occasions. Characterization is achieved by looking at the primary adults, such as parents and teachers, from the point of view of a twelve year old boy. Everything revealed about that character is skewed by whatever this young boy perceives. Most of these characters appear insensitive and ineffectual. This is actually one of the more interesting parts of the movie because it allows the audience to imagine other ways in which these characters can be understood. In terms of the setting, if you didn’t know Paris was the film’s location it would be easy to think the setting was anywhere in any French city. There are no distinguishing landmarks that let the audience know for sure where the film took place. In some ways, that is actually a good technique because it allows many in the audience to feel a familiarity with the setting. The theme, adolescent angst, as mentioned before is predictable and redundant. Adolescent angst can be loosely interpreted as a symbol representing internal struggles and frustrations with the people who should be trusted relied upon.
This film was well cast and the actors did an exceptional job portraying their characters in their acting. Jean-Pierre Léaud, who played Antoine Doinel, portrayed the perfect image of an adolescent boy trying to live his life on his terms. He is a rebellious child and the viewer could see through the acting that he lacked a conscience and was motivated by self gain. The viewer is able to clearly see how the negative experiences affected Antoine through convincing acting. The role of Gilberte Doinel, played by Claire Maurier, was equally as convincing. Her selfishness is apparent to the viewer from the first moment she steps onto the screen. She is a narcissistic woman who neglects her family. There is a point in the show where she appears to undergo a transformation, which is evident by her dramatic change in the treatment of her son. It is obvious to the viewer that Gilberte behaved in a false nurturing manner because she fears blackmail. Any affection she shows her son is a calculated attempt to buy his silence for her indiscretions. She never comes out with a direct explanation as to why she was treating him better, but the viewer needs no explanation because her aura gives off this impression. Antoine’s best friend, René, played by Patrick Auffay, is another role that was well cast. René is the perfect mentor for Antoine. Antoine learns all of his mischievous acts from him. René is similar to the character Dodger from Oliver!. He appears to be the wiser and more experienced of the two friends and rarely ever gets caught. The viewer could easily pick this up just from watching the way he moves. René is composed and calculated. Another strong direction the film takes is with the costumes. The costumes in this film are great representations of the time and the conditions. The viewer can also tell what kind of personality a person has by simply looking at their wardrobe. Gilberte Doinel’s wardrobe gave away, immediately, that the majority of the little money the family was bringing in was spent on her clothes and pampering herself. The rest of her family wore clothes that looked old and scuffed. Some even had holes in them. The costumes helped to gain insight to how the characters perceived themselves and how that may contrast with how others saw them.
“The 400 Blows” displayed ingenious cinematic aspects. The lighting is a dead giveaway about the feelings the protagonist has about a place. Dimly lit places were often places Antoine felt uncomfortable and scared. His home and his school were examples of this lighting. Cameras often angled down on Antoine’s home, giving the impression of feeling cramped and insignificant. This feeling of cramped helped the audience understand the pressure experienced by Antoine. Black and white photography also helped provide a sense of time, perhaps in the 1930s and 1940s. The music complimented the dismal and often hopeless mood. Sometimes the music prepared the audience for a mood change displayed by the characters. In general, the music, photography, and lighting complimented each scene.
“The 400 Blows” and Black Boy by Richard Wright, both had as its main character, young men, struggling with their lives. There were more similarities than differences between Richard and Antoine. The main difference between the boys was the social circumstances that defined how they were perceived by others. Richard was born into a community where his color was recognized before his behavioral traits. Antoine did not have to contend with that very real perception. Richard and Antoine often met their challenges with rebellion. Throughout the movie and the book it was unclear whether either boy would survive their circumstances. Additionally, both young men genuinely felt comfortable in their own skin. It was the outside world that betrayed them.
People who would find “The 400 Blows” interesting would tend to be people who appreciate cinematic and dramatic devices incorporated in filmmaking. It is hard to ignore the clever and deliberate filmmaking techniques such as camera movement, acting, and sound used within this film. Anybody, however, with a short attention span and a need for closure would find this film unsatisfying and frustrating. Technique, not plot, is what gives “The 400 Blows” credibility and merit. I would suggest this particular film to someone who appreciates the finer aspects of filmmaking. Without that appreciation it would be easy to dismiss “The 400 Blows” as dull and unfinished.